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Practice Philosophy:
Our physicians are practitioners of traditional Internal Medicine. Internal
Medicine is a specialty that focuses on the medical illness and conditions
effecting adults. To qualify as Internists, our doctors have completed
advanced training in this area. Both are Board Certified in Internal Medicine
by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
Internists are also known as diagnosticians because they use their detective
skills as physicians to fully evaluate their patient’s symptoms.
In this way, they are best prepared to develop a thorough and effective
treatment plan.
Our doctor’s philosophy is to consider each patient individually.
They carefully determine the diagnostic and therapeutic methods that are
indicated in each case. As Internal Medicine specialists, our doctors
are also skilled in the methods and practice of adult preventive medicine.
They routinely provide an array of screening tests to their patients designed
to detect common disorders in their early stages when treatment is most
effective and least costly.
Our Internists serve as their patient’s family doctor in many cases.
Quite frequently they are called upon to treat patients with minor and
not so minor acute illnesses such as colds, sore throats, diarrhea, bronchitis,
flu, back pain, and upset stomachs.
Internists are renowned for their skill in the management of common chronic
adult diseases including hypertension, high cholesterol, coronary artery
disease, congestive heart failure, diabetes, asthma, emphysema and chronic
bronchitis, arthritis, stomach disorders, osteoporosis, and the illnesses
associated with obesity and physical inactivity.
Dr Woodson and Watts are self-employed physicians who work directly for
their patients. They consider it unethical to place anyone’s interests
ahead of the needs of the patient. Their policy is to never allow any
insurance plan or HMO to interfere with their medical opinions or recommendations.
At DeKalb Internal Medicine, our practice of medicine is guided by the
Hippocratic Oath, which clearly states that it is the primary duty of
a physician to always consider the needs of the patient first. We interpret
this to mean that we will not withhold information from you about your
medical condition nor will we fail to thoroughly explain and discuss with
you the tests or treatments necessary in your case regardless of whether
or not your insurance company agrees with our opinion.
OFFICE
PROCEDURES
Routine
Office Visits are by appointment and are of two basic types.
Visits for acute illnesses or injuries and those for follow-up of an acute
or chronic condition.
Urgent Care Office Visits are reserved in our schedule
everyday. These appointments are held open for patients with acute illnesses
or injuries so that you can be seen on the same day you call. These appointments
fill quickly each morning so please call as soon after 8:00 AM as possible
to arrange your sick call appointment.
Routine Pelvic Exams and Pap Smears are provided by our
doctors. In addition we provide the following office gynecologic therapies:
contraception (birth control pills), hormone replacement therapy for perimenpausal
(progesterone cream) and postmenopausal women (estrogen and progesterone),
incontinence, and treatment of uncomplicated vaginal infections due to
bacteria, herpes, and yeast. Other procedures provided include pelvic
ultrasound and endometrial biopsy.
Bone Density Testing of the fracture prone hip and spine
with the most accurate and precise equipment is available in our office
to all patients in whom testing is indicated. This test is used mainly
to screen women for premature bone loss around the time of menopause when
effective measures can be taken to prevent the development of osteoporosis.
Other indications for testing include Caucasian or Asian race, thinness,
a maternal history of osteoporosis, use of certain drugs like thyroid
hormone or cortisone, smoking, heavy alcohol use, or a medical history
of certain diseases which cause osteoporosis secondarily.
Body Composition Analisys using DXA (dual energy X-ray
absorptiometry) is the most advanced method of measuring your body’s
lean and fat body mass. This technique provides percentages for the right
and left upper and lower extremities, the torso, and the body as a whole.
Quantitative Intimal-Medical Thickness (QIMT) of the
internal common carotid artery is performed non-invasively with ultrasound
in our office. This test result is used to tell us whether or not cholesterol
is being abnormally deposited in the wall of the artery thickening it.
Artery wall thickening occurs before the disease atheroscleosis, or hardening
of the arteries, leads to arterial damage. Atherosclerosis is the main
cause of heart attack and stroke. Risk for heart attack and stroke rises
as the arterial wall thickens. The thicker the wall, the more advanced
the disease process. QIMT directly measures the effect of all the patient’s
risk factors (cholesterol, blood pressure, family history, etc., on the
wall of the common carotid artery. This direct approach is an accurate
and rational method of selecting who to treat and how aggressive treatment
should be compared with past methods. Serial measurements of QIMT are
useful for monitoring a patient’s response to treatment with diet,
exercise, and cholesterol lowering drugs.
The Comprehensive Physical Examination (CPE) includes
a thorough medical history and a complete physical exam both performed
directly by the physician. The CPE is used to establish or thoroughly
update a patient’s medical history and physical condition. The CPE
helps orient the doctor to your specific medical needs. During the CPE,
the doctor and patient come to know each other and forging an intimate
relationship upon which is built a bond of trust and friendship. This
is known in medicine as the patient-doctor relationship. Our doctors believe
that having a healthy patient-doctor relationship is critical for the
patient as well as the doctor. During the CPE, the doctor usually spends
about one hour directly with you and at least another 30 minutes evaluating
the results of your exam over the next few days. Thus, the CPE allows
our doctors to become thoroughly familiar with your specific medical profile.
In so doing, they are best prepared to define and treat all present problems
and even anticipate the likelihood of future medical conditions. Procedure
During the, the doctor will ask you about your current and past medical
problems as well ass review your family history. Next comes the complete
physical exam where the doctor pays special attention to areas of the
body discussed during the medical history. In addition, it is common for
several diagnostic tests to be obtained during a CPE. These usually include:
a chest X-ray, EKG, urinalysis, complete blood count, complete blood chemistry
examination including blood salts, blood sugar, kidney function and liver
function tests, serum iron tests, tests of thyroid function, a comprehensive
blood lipid profile including total cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, LDL
cholesterol, triglycerides and a test for hidden or occult blood in the
stool. For men, we also commonly obtain a prostate specific antigen (PSA)
to test for prostate cancer. However, the tests ordered for you specifically
will be determined primarily by your individual needs. Other tests may
be ordered depending on your individual history or physical findings at
the examination. The CPE will take about two to three hours of your time
to complete. Indications: Established patients have CPEs depending upon
their personal medical history, the nature of their active medical problems,
or their age. As a rule of thumb used for generally healthy adults, we
recommend a CPE once in the teens and twenties, every three years in the
thirties, every other year after age forty and every year after age sixty-five.
Preparation for a CPE: Please make a list of all the problems you wish
to discuss at the examination. It is important that you complete a new
Patient Medical Health questionnaire prior to coming in for your CPE which
helps the doctor quickly update your old and new medical history. Please
bring all medicines and vitamins you take regularly with you to the office.
For a CPE scheduled in the morning, please don't eat anything after 8:00
PM the night before your appointment unless you are a diabetic who should
not fast before coming in for their exam. If you are scheduled for an
afternoon CPE, you may eat a light breakfast before 8:00 AM. Patients
should take their regular medications on the day of the examination. You
may drink water, black coffee, or tea the morning of your exam as long
as you do not add sugar (artificial sweetener is OK).
Flexible Sigmoidoscopy is performed with a soft plastic
tube approximately 3/8 inch in diameter. This flexible tube is filled
with a bundle of optical fibers which lets the doctor get a clear view
of the inside of the rectum and colon most often affected by cancer. Flexible
sigmoidoscopy is not a painful procedure. The procedure is performed in
our regular exam rooms and there is no need for you to be sedated for
the exam. You will have no problem driving or returning to work after
the procedure. The test takes about 10 minutes. Indications: Flexible
sigmoidoscopy is recommended for the evaluation of patient’s with
symptoms referable to the rectum or colon. It is recommended routinely
(every 3 years) for all adults over the age of 40 years as a colon and
rectal cancer-screening test. A test for hidden or occult blood in the
stool should also be performed annually in all adults over the age of
40. Adverse Experiences with Sigmoidoscopy Usually this procedure is not
painful being well tolerated by almost everyone. Sometimes during the
procedure, cramp-like abdominal pain occurs briefly. After the procedure,
some patients have abdominal bloating for a few hours and/or extra flatus.
If after having this procedure your symptoms are more marked or you have
fever or rectal bleeding, please call us immediately or go directly to
the emergency room. Preparation: Please use two Fleets Enemas just before
the having the test. On the day of the test, follow a clear liquid diet
until the procedure is complete. Fleets Enemas are available at your pharmacy.
They are a pre-mixed phosphorus solution and come in a disposable enema
bottle designed for self-administration. Instructions for giving the enema
are included in the box. Administer and then evacuate the enemas at home
just prior to coming over for the procedure. If you have any questions
about flexible sigmoidoscopy or the patient preparation, please call us.
Office Visits by Appointment: We see patients from 8:30 AM to
4:30 PM Monday through Friday. After 4:30 PM and on holidays and weekends
we use an answering service. They will refer all emergency and urgent
calls to the doctor on call. You may call 404.298.9951 to make and appointment
or reach the on-call physician.
Hospital Care: We use DeKalb Medical Center for most of our hospital
admissions and procedures. DeKalb has a team of specialized Internists
known as Hospitalists who provide inpatient care for our patients. These
physicians work only in the hospital. One member of their group is always
on duty in the hospital to assist the patient as needed.
Sick Call: We are usually able to see our patients the same day
they call for urgent medical care. Please call as soon after 8:00 AM as
you can. We will do everything possible to work you in before noon of
that day.
Prescription Refills: Please let us know you need a refill authorization
phoned in or new prescription written well before your medications run
out. One idea is to ask
your pharmacist to call us when you pick up your last refill. Another
is to use our web site to request a refill.
General Business Provisions: The person receiving the medical
service is responsible for their bill. Both doctors participate in a number
of PPO plans and Dr. Watts also participates in several HMOs. To see if
they are on your plan, please check with the business office. Unless other
arrangements have been made, please be prepared to make payment in full
for the medical services you receive at the time you check out of the
office.
Payment Options: We accept cash, personal check, or credit cards (Visa,
MasterCard, American Express, and Discover).
Delinquent Accounts: Accounts with unpaid balances due
in excess of 4 months (120 days) of the date the service are considered
delinquent and are subject to referral to a collection agency.
Walkout Statements: At the time you checkout of the office, you will receive
a receipt indicating the amount you paid at that office visit.
Insurance Filing: Unless you are in one of the PPO or
HMO plans we participate in or have Medicare, you are responsible for
filing your own insurance claim. The Walkout Statement provided by us
details the tests codes, diagnosis codes, and charges and includes all
the information required by your insurance company from the doctor to
process your claim.
Returned Checks: A $20 fee will be added to any account when a check is
returned to us from the bank for insufficient funds.
New Patients Welcome
Office Hours by Appointment
2801 N. Decatur Rd., Suite 375
Decatur, Georgia 30033
404.298.9951 voice
404.298.5577 fax
